The Past Is Another Land
by Grace Cohen
Summary: It's been a few years since the war against the Titans. A new enemy has begun to surface. New heroes will be needed, both demigod and surprisingly another race. One that the demigods will be surprised to learn exists.
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1**_

Callidora

It had been a few years since Percy Jackson's famous adventures. He was infamous at Camp Half Blood, as were Annabeth and Grover. I had met them, and loved them. After all, Annabeth was one of my half sisters and she was absolutely brilliant if you asked me. I could only hope to have journeys and quests that equaled hers. Yet, I doubted that. I was 15 and I had yet to have a single quest, while she had them when she and Percy were 12. I could still dream, however. I only hoped that I could please my mother, and Adonis, my best friend, could please his father Apollo. Adonis wanted that more than anything, after all Apollo was his only living parent. I knew pleasing Apollo, the god of the sun, medicine, music, poetry, archery, prophecy, truth and probably other things I'm forgetting was one of Adonis' biggest goals.

"Come on Calli! Stop daydreaming and come on I need your support!" Adonis called, grabbing my arm and pulling me toward the forest.

Adonis was being as irrational as ever. One of the boys in Ares cabin, Alexander, had challenged him to an almost impossible task and of course Adonis didn't know how to say no. Sometimes it seemed my best friend thought that he could do anything. Sure, he was almost a prodigy when it came to music and of course he excelled in archery, but there were things he was still learning and might never be perfect at. This challenge was dangerous and probably wouldn't be allowed had Chiron or any of the adults known of it. Yet, Adonis could not be talked out of anything once he set his mind to it. I could only pray for some miracle to stop the challenge from occurring.

"Adonis, maybe this isn't such a good idea. It's dangerous and you don't even have a plan! You could get into some big trouble, Addy!" I stated, arguing my point softly. Addy was a nickname I had given Adonis since we traveled to the camp together. We were both full year campers and we had spent a lot of time together through the years. I was the only one who he allowed to call him that. His brothers and sisters weren't even allowed to use that nickname.

"Calli, I can't back down. That would be embarrassing. I accepted the challenge and I can do this. I know I can. You just have to trust me." He replied, stubbornly, his eyes boring into me.

"Fine, but at least let me help you come up with a strategy." I told him, sighing.

I could never say no to him when he looked at me with those beautiful grey eyes. I loved his eyes, and maybe I had a bit of a crush on my best friend, but I would never admit that to him or anyone else. He was my best friend and I would never let a little crush get in the way or ruin that. It was hard not to like Adonis, he was stubborn and yet he had a way with words. No one could blatantly deny him of anything. This was something I had learned within moments of meeting the boy back when I was nine years old. That had been six years ago. He was sixteen now, and he looked better than ever. I often got jealous of how the girls in the Aphrodite cabin seemed interested in him. Yet, he wasn't mine and probably never would be. We were best friends and that was it.

"Okay, fine." He agreed, smiling at me.

I lived for Adonis' smiles. He was a true son of Apollo. He had sandy blond hair, and icy blue-grey eyes. His eyes always held some emotion and yet seemed so distant. He was a hopeless dreamer and a true musician. He could play seven instruments and sing. He also wrote beautiful poetry, many about some girl or other, much to my dismay. He was also skilled in archery and healing. His father should be proud of all the traits he had acquired from him. Adonis' skin was also something I truly envied. He never got sunburn. His skin always looked perfectly sun kissed, never too tan or too pale. It was as if the sun god himself had made sure his son's skin remained perfect. Adonis almost always carried either one of his instruments or a bow and quiver with him. It was obvious where he fit in.

"Good, I already have an idea." I told him, smiling back at him.

I was quite the opposite of Adonis. I had long blond hair, but I usually kept mine in a tight braid so it was out of my way and out of my face. My eyes were the same grey that all of my siblings held. I was short, and skinny. I didn't seem intimidating at all. I was meek and quiet, and yet I could plan like there was no tomorrow. I also was often told I was wise beyond my years. I guess that came with being a daughter of the goddess of wisdom. I was also very good with battle planning. However, one of my hobbies was also art. I loved to draw and paint. I had also been told, by Adonis and many of my siblings that I was good at it.

"Adonis, your father is here and he would like to speak with you." A voice behind us said, interrupting Adonis when he was about to speak.

I would not have believed that statement if Chiron had not been the one delivering it. It was rare, if ever, that a god or goddess visited Camp Halfblood. Usually it meant that something big was occurring or going to occur. It made me nervous. Adonis seemed to sense my nerves because within a moment he had grabbed my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. I couldn't help but blush. Adonis was holding my hand that in itself was a rarity.

"I'll meet you back at your cabin when I'm done speaking with my father, alright?" He questioned, giving my hand one last squeeze before releasing it.

I simply nodded and watched him walk away, following Chiron. There wasn't much else I could do. I knew that waiting would be torture, but I hadn't been invited to go with him. Plus, meeting his father was something he had to do alone. He would tell me everything when he returned. He always did. It was nice knowing that someone relied on me. Adonis was my best friend, and the one person who I knew needed me just as much as I needed him. We had become each other's family since we met in our adventure to get to Camp Half Blood.

I headed back to my cabin since that was where he said he'd meet me. Yet, I couldn't go inside. I was way too anxious to sit down inside. I decided to pace outside as I waited. Pacing eliminated some nervous energy. I couldn't help but wonder and worry. None of the gods came to the camp on a normal basis. Usually it meant something big and usually something bad. At least that's what it seemed like in the time I had been at Camp Half Blood. After all, the last time I remembered seeing a god at the camp had been just before the war, and now that my sister was doing all the architecture and designing needed to rebuild Olympus, most of the gods seemed too busy elsewhere. So, the fact that Adonis' father was here made me nervous. I couldn't help but feel that something had to be wrong.

It seemed like I had waited for hours when I finally spied Adonis walking toward me. He looked excited. Maybe my suspicions had been wrong. Maybe his father had come just to see him or to visit the camp. I had heard it wasn't fully uncommon. It was just hard to associate a god visiting with anything good after everything that had occurred. However, judging by Adonis smile I could only suspect this had been a good visit.

"So, what happened?" I questioned, walking over to fall into step beside Adonis as we headed for his cabin.

"We have a quest." He answered, smiling.

"What? Really?" I asked. My excitement was building. We had both been waiting for a quest for so long. I had not expected to get one, let alone for Adonis' father of all people to give us a quest. I couldn't help but wonder what it was. Most of the time quests were dangerous. At least they had been before the war.

"Yes, and we have quite a large quest at that. I was surprised that we were the ones chosen for this." Adonis responded, smirking.

"Well, what is it? Are you going to leave me hanging all day?" I inquired.

"An unknown threat has been brought to my father's attention by an archangel. We are to go seek three half angels and with their help figure out what this threat is. All that's known is that the threat is both from someone believed to be an ally of Olympus." Adonis told me.

I stared at him, wondering if he was joking. Apollo had spoken to an archangel, was that even possible? I knew that Greek gods and goddesses were real. After all, if they weren't I wouldn't even exist. Yet, archangels and half angels couldn't be real too, could they? I had been raised by a Catholic father before coming to Camp Half Blood, I knew all about the archangels and angels. Yet, after learning that all the Greek myths were reality I had always thought that the current religions were the true myths. Could that suspicion be wrong? How? Yet, if Adonis was serious then I was about to meet the children of angels, half angels. I wasn't sure how to feel about that. The other half of what Adonis said also bothered me. Someone on Olympus was becoming a threat? Who? Who would possibly turn on Olympus after all that had occurred?

"Are you serious? Why do we need the half angels help?" I asked.

"My father told me that whoever has betrayed Olympus has teamed up with Lucifer. That is why the archangel knows of the threat. The angels themselves are not allowed to interfere in human affairs, but the children they have with mortals can. I don't know much more than that since that's all my father told me, but I have the names and an address of where we can find the half angels who are going to help us." Adonis told me.

"When do we leave?" I questioned, wanting to begin the quest as soon as I could. There were so many questions I needed answers to, especially in regards to the half angels. What were they like? Were they similar to demigods? How could angels and Greek gods and goddesses both be real? How was any of this possible? I could only hope that the half angels we were going to meet would be able to answer these questions since Adonis could not.

"As soon as we're ready." He replied, smiling at me and walking into his cabin to pack.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Lailah**

I was running late, as usual. I always seemed to be late. No matter what I did or how early I started to prepare there never seemed to be a single day when I wasn't late. Today, however, I wasn't late for something simple like school. I was late for a meeting with my father, and my two best friends' fathers. They had asked to see us. None of us knew why, but when all three of our fathers asked to see us it was usually important. My best guess would be that they were going to give us new assignments to guard or a new mission. They were always giving us new human beings to guard or new missions to complete. Our job as half angels was to serve as guardian angels and protectors of the human race. It had been that way from the moment my friends and I were about eleven. That is the customary age a half angel can train for missions and become a guardian.

All half angels carried a gift from their angel parent. Mine was the gift of foresight. My father was Gabriel, the archangel messenger of Heaven. It was only natural that my gift should deal with news and tidings. Whether it was good or bad news I saw it. My father often came to me in dreams. He sent me messages and warnings. Many of the missions my friends and I received came from my gift. However, whatever this meeting was, I had not envisioned it. My two friends also had powers gifts given from their angel parents. Micah has the ability to heal with the touch of his hand, as long as the wound is not mortal or poisoned. His father is Raphael, the archangel known for healing. Elijah's gift is better used in battle. He is able to control the four major elements of earth, wind, water and fire. His father is Michael, the archangel of war.

I sighed and stared at my reflection in the mirror. The reason I was late this time was my inability to choose an outfit. When it came time to see my father I was always very picky with what I wore. Through the years he had brought me many dresses, all with holes in the back for my wings. They were all made by Heaven's finest dressmakers. As such, they were all quite beautiful and I always found it hard to choose one. I had finally chosen a simple white sundress he had brought me the last time he'd visited. The thing I loved the most about it was the glitter. It was perfectly placed so that when the sun hit it at the right angle it made the dress shimmer. That was what I loved.

I slipped on some white ballet flats and ran out the door. I didn't tell my mother where I was going. If I told her she would only argue with me and try to stop me. My mother and I had a very strained relationship. We loved each other, and yet we were always getting on each other's nerves. We argued more than we got along. So, it was always best for me to leave her in the dark. She would never understand. She never had. When I was a little girl it had bothered me, but my father had been there and helped me to get over it. I simply accepted it for what it was now. I knew she loved me, she just didn't know how to show it.

I loved running almost as much as I loved flying. I loved the feeling of the wind rushing around me and blowing wildly through my hair. I loved the feeling of the ground under my feet. I loved the sound of my footfalls with every touch of the ground. However, flying was what I loved the most. I loved the feeling of the wind against my wings and the rush that touching off the ground left me with. So, I quickly took a running jump and spread my small, white and feathery wings. The wind caught them easily and within moments I was flying through the air, escalating toward my destination.

We were meeting at what Elijah, Micah and I liked to call out playhouse. It had been our favorite place growing up. Whenever one of our fathers visited they would take us to this particular cloud. It was often called the cloud of dreams by my father. As children this cloud had served as our playground, and now it served as a conference room. It was called the cloud of dreams because it became whatever the users of the cloud needed. As children we had needed a playground. Now, we needed a safe meeting place away from Heaven and Earth.

As I landed on the cloud I saw my friends, Micah and Elijah, sitting across from our fathers at the long conference table. I couldn't help but smile. I was always glad to see my friends. The closer we got to Heaven the more their blond hair seemed to glow. Their hair seemed to shine on top, almost forming a halo, but not quite. Our fathers had that halo. However, we were only half angel and as such we would not gain that. I quickly slid into the chair next to Micah and across from my father. I couldn't help but blush as all eyes turned to look at me.

"Better late than never." Elijah teased, smirking.

"Elijah, leave her be." my father stated, smiling at me from across the table.

Even if my father knew that Elijah was teasing he would still defend me. He always had and probably always would. That was something I loved about him. Unlike Elijah's father, Michael, my father showed how much he cared and admired me. Even when I was late he would flash me a smile to let me know he didn't mind and it was okay. No one was ever allowed to insult me when my father was around. If no one knew I was his daughter by how he defended me, they would know with a simple glance. We had the same curly red hair and deep blue eyes. Of course, my hair was to my mid-back and long, where my father's was short. I also had freckles across my nose and all over my face, where my father had none. Yet, the family resemblance was striking.

"I was only teasing her." Elijah argued, making a face. I knew that Elijah was stubborn. He didn't like to be corrected and believed he was always right. It was obvious he didn't like that my father had defended me. We all knew he was teasing, but my father wasn't one for joking around in serious situations. It was obvious to me by the look on everyone's faces that this meeting was serious.

"Well, enough son. We have important matters to discuss." Michael scolded, giving Elijah a warning glance.

Michael was nothing like my father or Micah's dad, Raphael. Where our fathers were gentle and kind souls by nature, Michael was strict and often times a bit cold. Raphael and Michael shared similar looks in some ways. They both had blond hair and the same gray eyes. Yet, while Raphael was kindly, Michael was rough. He had many scars and he had a bulky frame compared to Raphael's small frame. Elijah shared that bulkiness. However, the most shocking difference between my father, Raphael and Michael were their wings. Where my father and Raphael had the soft, feathery and white wings that most angels had, Michael's were different. His were covered in a hard, metal, retractable armor. He retracted the armor to fly, but otherwise he left it coating his wings.

"What important matters?" Micah questioned. His voice was barely above a whisper. Micah was the laid back and quiet one of the three of us. He could be a bit shy when he was uncomfortable. I knew that Michael made Micah uncomfortable. Hell, Michael made all of us uncomfortable, even his own son. He was an intimidating presence and he was not the nicest person known to man.

"Lucifer is planning something." my father told us, running a hand through his hair.

"What does that have to do with us?" Elijah asked, rolling his eyes.

"I think what Elijah means is what can we do to help?" I rephrased. Elijah was impatient and he could be outright rude sometimes. I usually tried to rephrase things and keep balance when he snapped.

"Well, alone you three can't do much. He's teamed up with someone powerful on Olympus. We don't know their exact plans, but we do know that they're plotting against Earth, and as guardians it's your job to protect Earth. The three of you will need help from Olympus, if you want to succeed." Michael informed us.

"Whose help do we need?" Micah inquired, pushing his glasses up on his nose. Micah looked a lot like Raphael. He had the same blond hair and the same gray eyes. Yet, Micah's hair was usually a messy mop on his head and he also wore thick black glasses. Plus, he was much shorter and skinnier than his father. I often teased him and called him a stick.

"There should be demigods coming to meet you. They'll help you. This plan affects them just as much as you three." My father replied.

"Do they know about us?" I asked, baffled by all of this.

"Yes, Apollo should have told them about you, at least somewhat. I asked him for assistance and told him where the three of you could be found. They should arrive sometime today or tomorrow." Raphael responded.

I simply nodded and looked at my friends. All of this was a lot to take in and none of it truly made sense to me. I had always thought that demigods were only myths and legends. That's what I had always learned in school. After all, it was all categorized under Greek mythology nowadays. After all, angels were obviously real, so how could Greek gods and goddesses be real too? How was that possible? Yet, Raphael was telling us we were going to be working with demigods and that he had spoken to the god Apollo, so they must be real. I just wasn't sure how.

"Dad, if there are demigods….then the Greek gods and goddesses are all real? It isn't just myths and legends?" I asked, needing some kind of answer and knowing my father would answer if he could.

"Yes, all of it is real. Lailah, every single religion that exists has it right. Every one of them exists. When a human dies, we take the souls that are ours, that believed in us. We take the souls who believe in our father and all of us, the angels. Hades gains the souls who believed, and even the few who still believe, in him and the Olympians. I'm not going to get into the other religions, but all of them exist. The easiest way to look at it is that each religion is like a different country. The biggest difference is they are only visible to humans after death and the mortals can only see the country that houses the religion they believed in. I don't know how helpful that is to you, but it is the best explanation I can give." My father explained, sighing.

"Oh…wow, I guess that makes sense." I voiced, totally astonished. He did put it into perspective, but it was still a lot to take in. I had lived knowing about angels and fallen angels my whole life. Yet, knowing all the other religions, including Greek mythology, were real was a bit shocking to me.

"Yes, but the three of you don't have to worry about any of it. You belong to two worlds and as such you will always be able to see all the worlds as long as you believe. When you die, you will come to us regardless of your choices. You were born of this world and the human world and this world is where you will return." Raphael explained.

"Thank you!" I said, smiling at both of them. I jumped up and ran to the other side of the table to hug my father.

"You're welcome, honey. Now, the three of you should go. The demigods should be arriving soon and you don't want to miss them." He said, returning my hug and running a hand through my hair.

"Where are we meeting them?" Elijah questioned, his arms crossed.

"At your house, I gave them your address." Raphael stated.

Elijah and Micah lived together. Micah's mother had died when he was very young and he had lived with Elijah ever since. It made sense that Raphael would give his son's address. Besides, Elijah's mother would not be at a complete loss to what was occurring. Elijah's mother was a half angel herself. She would understand what was going on, even if she wasn't involved. She would be much more welcoming than my mother. My mother would only argue.

"Thanks, we'll see you all soon I'm sure." I said, pulling away from the hug and leading my friends back to Micah and Elijah's house to wait for the arrival of the demigods.


End file.
